The silence of the Malibu mansion's upper floors was a stark contrast to the chaotic energy vibrating beneath it. Pepper's heels clicked a sharp rhythm against the staircase as she descended into the basement workshop, a wrapped box with a coffee mug balanced in one hand while she punched the security code. Adam walked a step behind her, his hands held loosely in front of him. Since the disastrous press conference where Tony had casually dismantled his own company's primary revenue stream, the billionaire had practically entombed himself down here.
Adam's eyes immediately scanned the room, picking apart the chaotic arrangement of holographic blueprints, scattered tools, and half-empty green smoothie blenders. Then, he found the source of the ozone.
Tony was standing in the center of a cleared testing area, looking equal parts exhausted and wired. His right arm was encased in a crude, skeletal contraption of exposed wiring and shifting metal plates, culminating in a heavy gauntlet.
"I've been buzzing you. Did you hear the intercom?" Pepper called out as she walked into the workshop, setting the box down and looking at the billionaire who was tinkering with a partial metallic exoskeleton.
"What?" Tony asked, distracted.
"Obadiah's upstairs. What would you like me to tell him?" Pepper asked.
"Great, great. I'll be right up," Tony said, using his free hand to make adjustments to the heavy exoskeleton strapped to his right arm.
Adam watched from the back as Pepper and Tony talked, his gaze dropping to the heavy exoskeleton clamped to Tony's forearm.
"I thought you said you were done making weapons," Pepper said with a curious tone.
"It's not a weapon," Tony said as he lifted his armored arm and pointed the palm forward. "This is a flight stabilizer. It's completely harmless. And Adam, try not to look so judgmental."
Adam didn't move a muscle, leaning his shoulder against the glass partition. "I'm just calculating the trajectory of your inevitable impact against the far wall, sir. Math isn't judgmental."
"Very funny," Tony replied sarcastically, and Pepper just face-palmed.
Tony pressed the button, and a high-pitched whine filled the room. Suddenly, a blinding flare of pale blue light erupted from the palm of the gauntlet. The kinetic kickback was instantaneous and violent. Tony was lifted off his feet, thrown backward with a sharp yelp, and slammed into a padded worktable. A flurry of blueprints and metallic parts went flying like confetti.
"Tony!" Pepper gasped and rushed forward.
"I didn't expect that," Tony wheezed, staring up at the ceiling.
Adam walked forward at a measured pace, waving away the bitter white smoke. Tony was sprawled at the table, coughing, waving his unarmored hand, but a grin was plastered on his face as he looked at the gauntlet. Adam got in front of him and brought his hand forward to help Tony up.
Tony took the helping hand and pushed himself up.
"Are you okay?" Pepper asked in concern.
"Yeah, I'm alright. You guys go ahead, I will be out in a minute," Tony said as he removed the gauntlet and dusted himself off.
Pepper looked at Tony for a bit longer, then she nodded. They both left the workshop and made their way upstairs.
"So, where's Tony?" Obadiah asked as he sat on the sofa of the living room with a large sealed pizza box in front of him.
"He'll be out in a minute," Pepper replied and sat with Adam waiting for Tony.
Adam listened quietly as the familiar argument unfolded. Obadiah cited the board's injunction regarding Tony's alleged PTSD and pushed to have engineers analyze the arc reactor, which was met with Tony's firm and stubborn refusal.
Adam could see the shrewdness in Obadiah's eyes and the sharp anger he felt when Tony denied having the arc reactor analyzed. With the conversation over, Tony left for his workshop, and Obadiah also took his leave, but not before giving Adam and Pepper a nod.
***
Some time passed following the incident in the workshop. While Tony buried himself in the relentless development of the Mark II, Adam maintained his usual duties, acting as the perfect assistant and the unseen shadow. He used the corporate panic and media fallout from the press conference as his stage, quietly observing the shifting dynamics of Stark Industries. All of this spectating was paying off. He could feel the potion harmonizing with his mind. It was ninety percent digested, leaving him only a step away from his next advancement.
Adam stood in front of the mirror in his hotel room. "Looking good, Adam," he said, admiring himself in the sharp three-piece tuxedo as he adjusted his bow tie.
Tonight was the night of the Charity Gala hosted by Tony Stark for the Firefighters' Family Fund, an event to which he had been personally invited. He adjusted his hair a bit, gave a charming smile in the mirror, and walked out of the room and down to the front lobby of the Sheraton Grand Hotel.
Adam stepped out of the hotel entrance and spotted Dan immediately. "Good evening, Dan. How are you doing?" He asked his chauffeur as he got in the backseat of the car.
"I am doing great, thank you for asking, Mr. Sokolov," Dan replied smoothly as he started the car and merged into the traffic.
After about twenty minutes, the car came to a stop at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Adam got out of the car and buttoned his suit jacket. "Thank you, Dan. I will call you when I need a ride," Adam said, closing the car door before turning to walk the red carpet. Stepping inside, he looked around, taking in the grand decorations and the people who were divided into groups, all in the hopes of making connections. Spending months among these corporate sharks had taught Adam that these galas were nothing more than a hunting ground for new alliances.
Adam walked towards the bar and ordered a scotch on the rocks with a twist. Taking his drink, Adam once again swept the area searching for Pepper, finding her immediately, standing out beautifully in her new blue dress. He walked towards her at a measured, slow pace.
"Good evening, Miss Potts," Adam said with a smile. "Enjoying the gala?"
Pepper turned around and looked him up and down. "Good evening, Adam. Your fashion sense has improved," Pepper said in a slight teasing tone.
Adam chuckled awkwardly and replied, "Miss Potts, that was one time, and I was enjoying my rare day off when you came to my home in an emergency."
Both of them laughed at the memory.
Adam and Pepper chatted about whatever came to mind—work, life, and everything in between. Adam had come to see Pepper as the strict older sister he never had. Just as they were enjoying their conversation, Tony walked in through the front door.